Q. Isab. Lord Edmund and Lord Mortimer alive! Welcome to France! the news was here, my lord, That you were dead, or very near your death.

Y. Mor. Lady, the last was truest of the twain:
But Mortimer, reserv'd for better hap,

Hath shaken off the thraldom of the Tower,
And lives t' advance your standard, good my lord.

40

P. Edw. How mean you, and the king my father lives? No, my Lord Mortimer, not I, I trow.

Q. Isab. Not, son! why not?

worse!

I would it were no

But, gentle lords, friendless we are in France.

45

Y. Mor. Monsieur Le Grand, a noble friend of yours, Told us, at our arrival, all the news,

How hard the nobles, how unkind the king

Hath shew'd himself: but, madam, right makes room 50
Where weapons want: and, though a many friends
Are made away, as Warwick, Lancaster,

And others of our part and faction;

Yet have we friends, assure your grace, in England Would cast up caps, and clap their hands for joy, 55 To see us there, appointed for our foes.

Kent. Would all were well, and Edward well reclaim'd, For England's honour, peace, and quietness!

Y. Mor. But by the sword, my lord, 't must be deserv'd;

The king will ne'er forsake his flatterers.

Sir J. My lords of England, sith th' ungentle king

Of France refuseth to give aid of arms

To this distressed queen his sister here,

Go you with her to Hainault; doubt ye not,

60

We will find comfort, money, men, and friends,

Ere long, to bid the English king a base.

65

How say, young prince, what think you of the match?
P. Edw. I think King Edward will outrun us all.
Q. Isab. Nay, son, not so; and you must not discourage
Your friends that are so forward in your aid.

70

Kent. Sir John of Hainault, pardon us, I pray; These comforts that you give our woful queen Bind us in kindness all at your command.

Q. Isab. Yea, gentle brother; and the God of heaven Prosper your happy motion, good Sir John !

Y. Mor. This noble gentleman, forward in arms,
Was born, I see, to be our anchor-hold.—
Sir John of Hainault, be it thy renown,
That England's queen and nobles in distress
Have been by thee restor❜d and comforted.
Sir 7. Madam, along, and you, my lord, with me,
That England's peers may Hainault's welcome see.

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80

[Exeunt.

SCENE III. London, a room in the King's Palace. Enter KING EDWARD, ARUNDEL, the elder SPENSER, the younger SPENSER, and others.

K. Edw. Thus after many threats of wrathful war
Triumpheth England's Edward with his friends;
And triumph Edward with his friends uncontroll❜d!
My lord of Glocester, do you hear the news?

Y. Spen. What news, my lord?

5

K. Edw. Why, man, they say there is great execution Done through the realm. My lord of Arundel,

You have the note, have you not?

Arun. From the lieutenant of the Tower, my lord.

K. Edw. I pray let us see it. [Takes the note from ARUNDEL.] What have we there?

Read it, Spenser.

IO

[Gives the note to the younger SPENSER, who reads

their names.

Why so; they bark'd apace a month ago:

Now, on my life, they'll neither bark nor bite,

Now, sirs, the news from France? Glocester, I trow,
The lords of France love England's gold so well,
As Isabella gets no aid from thence.

15

What now remains? have you proclaim'd, my lord,
Reward for them can bring in Mortimer?

Y. Spen. My lord, we have; and if he be in England, 'A will be had ere long, I doubt it not.

20

K. Edw. If, dost thou say? Spenser, as true as death, He is in England's ground; our portmasters

Are not so careless of their king's command.

Enter a Messenger.

How now! what news with thee? from whence come these? Mes. Letters, my lord, and tidings forth of France 25 To you, my lord of Glocester, from Levune.

K. Edw. Read.

[Gives letters to the younger SPENSER.

Y. Spen. [reading]. My duty to your honour premised, &c., I have, according to instructions in that behalf, dealt with the King of France his lords, and effected, that the queen, all discontented and discomforted, is gone: whither, if you ask, with Sir John of Hainault, brother to the marquis, into Flanders. With them are gone Lord Edmund, and the Lord Mortimer, having in their company divers of your nation, and others; and, as constant report goeth, they intend to give King Edward battle in England, sooner than he can look for them. This is all the news of import.—Your honour's in all service, LEVUNE.

K. Edw. Ah, villains, hath that Mortimer escap'd? With him is Edmund gone associate?

40

And will Sir John of Hainault lead the round?
Welcome, a' God's name, madam, and your son !
England shall welcome you and all your rout.
Gallop apace, bright Phœbus, through the sky,
And dusky Night, in rusty iron car,

45

Between you both shorten the time, I pray,

That I may see that most desirèd day,

When we may meet these traitors in the field!

Ah, nothing grieves me, but my little boy

Is thus misled to countenance their ills!

50

Come, friends, to Bristow, there to make us strong;

And, winds, as equal be to bring them in,
As you injurious were to bear them forth!

[Exeunt.

SCENE IV. The Queen's Camp, near Orwell, Suffolk. Enter QUEEN ISABELLA, PRINCE EDWARD, KENT, the younger MORTIMER, and SIR JOHN OF HAINAULT.

Q. Isab. Now, lords, our loving friends and countrymen, Welcome to England all, with prosperous winds! Our kindest friends in Belgia have we left, To cope with friends at home; a heavy case

When force to force is knit, and sword and glaive
In civil broils make kin and countrymen
Slaughter themselves in others, and their sides

5

With their own weapons gor'd! But what's the help?
Misgovern'd kings are cause of all this wreck ;
And, Edward, thou art one among them all,
Whose looseness hath betray'd thy land to spoil,
And made the channel overflow with blood
Of thine own people; patron shouldst thou be,
But thou-

Y. Mor. Nay, madam, if you be a warrior,
You must not grow so passionate in speeches.
Lords, sith that we are by sufferance of heaven,
Arriv'd, and armèd in this prince's right,
Here for our country's cause swear we to him
All homage, fealty, and forwardness;
And for the open wrongs and injuries
Edward hath done to us, his queen, and land,
We come in arms to wreak it with the sword;
That England's queen in peace may repossess
Her dignities and honours: and withal
We may remove these flatterers from the king,
That havock England's wealth and treasury.

IO

15

20

25

Sir F. Sound trumpets, my lord, and forward let us march. Edward will think we come to flatter him.

Kent. I would he never had been flatter'd more!

30

[Exeunt.

SCENE V. Near Bristol.

Enter KING EDWARD, BALDOCK, and the younger
SPENSER.

Y. Spen. Fly, fly, my lord! the queen is over-strong; Her friends do multiply, and yours do fail.

Shape we our course to Ireland, there to breathe.
K. Edw. What, was I born to fly, and run away,
And leave the Mortimers conquerors behind?
Give me my horse, let us reinforce our troops,
And in this bed of honour die with fame.

Bald. O no, my lord! this princely resolution
Fits not the time; away! we are pursued.

Enter KENT, with a sword and target.

5

[Exeunt.

Kent. This way he fled; but I am come too late. ΙΟ Edward, alas, my heart relents for thee! Proud traitor, Mortimer, why dost thou chase Thy lawful king, thy sovereign, with thy sword? Vile wretch, and why hast thou, of all unkind, Borne arms against thy brother and thy king? Rain showers of vengeance on my cursèd head, Thou God, to whom in justice it belongs To punish this unnatural revolt!

Edward, this Mortimer aims at thy life:

O, fly him then! But, Edmund, calm this rage;
Dissemble, or thou diest; for Mortimer
And Isabel do kiss, while they conspire:
And yet she bears a face of love forsooth:

Fie on that love that hatcheth death and hate!
Edmund, away! Bristow to Longshanks' blood
Is false; be not found single for suspect :
Proud Mortimer pries near into thy walks.

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20

25

Enter QUEEN ISABELLA, PRINCE EDWARD, the younger MORTIMER, and SIR JOHN OF HAINAULT.

Q. Isab. Successful battle gives the God of kings To them that fight in right, and fear his wrath.